Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Dominici
Label: Dominici Records
Release: 2005
Anyone who’s even half-listened whenever someone says “progressive metal” knows Charlie Dominici, the first vocalist of the progressive metal institution Dream Theater, who went through the transformation from Majesty into a band that’s now considered one of the biggest names on the music map. Charlie recorded the debut album with Dream Theater, When Dream And Day Unite (1989), and then, as our southern brothers would say, the fog swallowed him up. He only made his triumphant return for that album’s 15th anniversary, when he took the stage with his old lineup for the first time in so long. That show, by now pretty much legendary, reawakened his passion for music, and Dominici is rising once again like a Phoenix from the flames.
Charlie is back on the music scene and decided he’d have to really roll up his sleeves if he wants to reach his old glory. And here we have the first part of a conceptual trilogy titled O3: A Trilogy. I was definitely expecting technically polished progressive metal in the style of Dream Theater… and I couldn’t have been more wrong. This first part of the trilogy isn’t what you’d expect from the first vocalist of the legendary prog titans. The music is stripped down to its underwear, with Charlie presenting himself as a “one-man band” armed with just his voice, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Keyboards, electric guitars, drums or orchestration? Not a trace. Honestly, with such a unique setup, there’s no room for them anyway.
Acoustic records that combine a technical and an emotional approach, and on top of that are actually good, are hard to find. O3 A Trilogy – Part One is definitely one of them. But a warning: this isn’t a simple folk acoustic record. As far as I know, the first part of the O3 trilogy is one of the rare albums built completely and exclusively on acoustics, yet it’s thoroughly infused with the spirit of progressive rock.
The music is steeped in a concept that most resembles the plot of some Hollywood blockbuster, but luckily it doesn’t slide into pathos and stays on a somewhat deeper level. The first part of the trilogy introduces us to the main character, who was kidnapped from his family as a child and became a so-called sleeper agent (“Unwilling Volunteer”). After a long stay in the USA, he falls in love with the country, and also meets a girl he falls in love with too. But the time has come for his awakening… and he realizes with horror that the biological weapon he’s building could destroy the whole world. I won’t reveal any more of the story here, since the lyrics, which are excellent on the whole, will do that for you. Each individual track works like a chapter of a crime novel, and every single song has its own identity. Because of the concept, the whole record is soaked in a pretty dark atmosphere and a sense of impending tragedy. I Found My Love mixes a gloomy sound with lyrical content about fulfillment, which makes for an interesting contrast. The Plan recalls the acoustic material of Led Zeppelin, while The Dream, with its folk/bluesy atmosphere and harmonica sound, brings to mind none other than Bob Dylan. My New Land stands out from the otherwise excellent lyrical side of the record with its cheesy patriotic praise of the USA.
Thanks to the minimalist approach to the whole record, the atmosphere is built mainly on vocals and guitar. Charlie’s vocals this time don’t climb to the heights of prog metal excess; they stay grounded, yet emotional and sentimental. The voice is mature, deep and powerful, and works as an excellent storyteller. In fact, the record feels almost like an “audio book”. The production is excellent and fully captures the tonal qualities of Charlie’s voice, and he proves himself as a composer, arranger, performer and lyricist. He also shows his chops on acoustic guitar: it’s not just simple chord strumming, as Charlie lays out some interesting riffs and even the occasional arpeggio.
Even though it’s an entirely acoustic record, the music is sincere, gorgeous and emotional… but unfortunately it also suffers from a lack of dynamics. 40 minutes of acoustics quickly gets a little monotonous and repetitive, which is really the only weak spot of this record. That’s probably also why the reactions to the record will be very mixed. Some prog freaks will sneer, while others will embrace it with open arms. But Charlie surely has an ace up his sleeve for the follow-up. Personally, I’d like to see a somewhat more dynamic record with an even deeper story. The start is promising, but what’s still waiting for us is something only Dominici knows.
Lineup
Charlie Dominici – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Production
Charlie Dominici
Track List
1. Introduction
2. Unwilling Volunteer
3. My New Land
4. I Found My Love
5. The Dream
6. A Day Of Conflict
7. The Order Comes
8. The Plan
9. I Will Return
10. The Hand Of God
